A CONTROVERSIAL planning application that would have ‘ripped the heart out of' Royal Wootton Bassett was rejected today.

Just two months after the application to build 320 homes and a community hub on land at Marsh Farm was given an initial seal of approval by planning officers, Wiltshire Council’s strategic planning committee at Trowbridge’s County Hall unanimously rejected the development.

There were 550 letters of opposition.

Leda Properties’ application was dismissed because planning officers said it would lead to a loss of green countryside, would have a negative impact on a heritage asset, the Marsh Farm Hotel, and it failed to meet their Wiltshire Core Strategy standards on affordable housing, highways and education.

Royal Wootton Bassett residents and councillors also highlighted that this development, which would have taken the town’s housing capacity beyond their 1,455 limit until 2026, would put huge pressure on the town’s schools, increase doctor waiting times and would lead to intolerable congestion rises.

Born and bred Royal Wootton Bassett resident Brenda Lyall said: “This would have ripped the heart out of this lovely market town so I am delighted that this has been rejected and I think much of the Royal Wootton Bassett community would agree.

“The town’s housing needs have been met already and this would have taken it way beyond that.

"There was a strong feeling amongst the community that the needs of the town were being overridden.

“This was an issue that was at the top of the agenda for many people. Something like this could have destroyed us.

“It is great that a small market town like ours has for now fought off a big developer. If we can do it hopefully many other towns in positions like ours can do the same.

“It was so important that we fought against coalescence into Swindon.

"We are a wonderful town in our own right and need to keep our identity.”

A decision on this, which initially ruled in favour of the development, was due at a meeting in February but it was decided that committee members ought to pay the site a visit to make a more informed decision, which they did on Monday.

The plans, lodged with Wiltshire Council over a year and a half ago, propose 320 homes, a supermarket, a nursing home and ‘community hub’ on land at Marsh Farm.

Later in the morning the firm's equally unpopular application to build a supermarket and a care home on the outskirts of the town was also emphatically turned down.

Hundreds of letters of objection were sent to the committee by local residents saying that the supermarket would take business away from the market town's High Street shops and that there was no evidence to suggest that the town needed any more care home facilities.

Members of the committee also highlighted concerns over access and highways issues and that Leda Properties had recently amended their original application, which included 33 senior living units, without any explanation.

And after much deliberation, the committee unanimously voted against the application and went against the planning officers recommendation to approve it.

Coun Stewart Dobson said: "The core strategy seeks to enhance the viability of a town centre and this clearly does not do that. It would have a detrimental effect.

"You want to keep people in the town centre for tourism but if you take them away to the outskirts that doesn't help retailers at all.

"There are better sites that can be utilised and there is an empty shop that used to have a convenience store there that could be used again. I am very happy to refuse this."

Along with the Royal Wootton Basset Town Council being strongly opposed to this application, the nearby Lydiard Tregoze Parish Council were also firmly against it.

Coun Fred Westmoreland said: "Royal Wootton Bassett is a town on the edge of retail sustainability and if I think if this went through that would be in jeopardy. It cannot afford this. I am severely disturbed by this application."

Local resident Brenda Lyall said: "This is great news that it has been turned down.

"There are many more better suited places to have a supermarket or a convenience store and we have empty shops that can be filled.

"I just hope that this can be put to rest but the developers may appeal this but hopefully if does come to that it will be rejected once more."